1. Field
The present invention relates to power driven cycles, and more specifically, to frames for electric motor driven cycles.
2. Background
Recently, due to the shortage of gasoline and the ecological consequences of such use, various proposals have been created dealing with alternative power sources for motor vehicles. One of the most popular and promising proposals relates to electric powered vehicles. The difficulty encountered with electric powered vehicles, however, is the inability to deliver sufficient power for long-range operation without utilizing an extremely large number of heavy batteries. This is due largely to the weight requirements of conventional automobiles. The cycle, on the other hand, is substantially lighter than the automobile, and therefore, tends to have significantly lower power requirements. As a result, cycles, such as motorcycles and bicycles, are ideal for electric power applications.
Conventional electric motor driven cycles have typically employed heavy tube frame structures with an array of brackets to support the batteries and the electric motor. This construction often results in a mass fraction for the electric motor driven cycle that is less than optimal. xe2x80x9cMass fractionxe2x80x9d refers to the percentage that the batteries contribute to the overall weight of the electric motor driven cycle. Increased performance in terms of extended range can often be obtained by increasing the mass fraction. One way to increase the mass fraction is to reduce the weight of the frame. This tends to increase the range of the electric motor driven cycle for a given battery weight. Accordingly, a lightweight frame construction is needed with sufficient rigidity to support the weight of the batteries and motor.
In one aspect of the present invention, an electric motor driven cycle includes front and rear wheels, and a monocoque frame suspended between the front and rear wheels.
In another aspect of the present invention, an electric motor driven vehicle comprises front and rear wheels, a monocoque frame suspended between the front and rear wheels, and a handle bar extending from the frame.